


Oversized Prams

by TurningToDust97



Category: Emmerdale, Me Before You (2016), Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
Genre: F/M, M/M, internalized ableism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 17:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14085603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurningToDust97/pseuds/TurningToDust97
Summary: Aaron Dingle (Livesy in the story) and Louisa Clark become friends through an online forum. They both decide that they have to meet in person, so Will and Jackson end up joining them. Will everything go according to plan?





	1. Walsh and Traynor

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. This story has been stuck in the back of my mind for a long time and I've finally written it! This is an exciting time for me. I have wanted these four characters to meet one another for ages and I couldn't find any other stories similar to this one. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I do not own these characters nor do I own the soap opera/book/movie they appear in. 
> 
> This is the first fanfiction I have ever written, so I hope it's okay for a first timer.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Aaron, Jackson, Will and Louisa sit down for a cup of coffee? Find out here.

It was a cold day in the village. Aaron walked down main street, breathing into his hands to keep them warm. Today was a big day and Aaron felt...excited? Yes, that's the word for it. Excited. It was a weird feeling for Aaron, but he wasn't sure he liked it. He finally found someone he could relate to. Someone he could have a serious conversation. That someone was Louisa Clark.

............................................................................

When Louisa walked into Will's room, she was smiling. "Is everything alright, Clark?," Will said as he noticed she was grinning from ear to ear. Louisa was always smiling but today she seemed extra chipper.

"I'm great, Will. I actually feel quite excited to be honest. How are you? Did you sleep well last night?," She lay down beside her boyfriend and glanced up at him, still smiling. "Why are you excited?," Will was confused. He frowned at Clark while ignoring her other questions.

"You didn't answer my...never mind. I'm excited because you and I are meeting two new friends today," Louise propped herself up on her elbows and studied Wills face. His face was just as expressive as hers sometimes. He looked baffled. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips.

"What are you talking about?," Will was getting annoyed now. Louisa was always pulling stunts like this.

"I met a young man on the forum I post on. His name is Aaron Livesy. We've been chatting for a few weeks now, and we have arranged to meet up today. He lives in Emmerdale, but we're meeting in town," Will couldn't believe what he was hearing. He opened his mouth to speak but Clark continued.

"Don't worry, it's not like that. I have a lot in common with him. His boyfriend is quadriplegic too. Aaron and I both think you'll get on great. So, Mr Traynor, I think it's time you got ready. We're meeting the boys in an hour!," Louisa gave Will a quick kiss on the forehead and dashed out of the room leaving Will dazed.

............................................................................

Jackson sighed as Aaron walked beside him with his hands in his pockets. It was still freezing outside, but luckily for Jackson, he couldn't feel the cold from the neck down. "I bet you wish you were the one paralysed today," Jackson smirked up at Aaron. "Shut up you," Aaron replied.

Aaron's excitement had suddenly turned into nerves. What if Louisa and I don't get on? What if Jackson and Will can't stand each other? He thought to himself. He would never voice these thoughts purely because he needed to think positively. This idea was mad, he will admit. But there was something about Will's story that stuck with Aaron long after Louisa told him about it. It was so similar to Jackson's which meant it was both good and bad.

Finally, the two men approached the café that was in the centre of town. Aaron stopped and waited for Jackson to catch up with him. He looked inside and noticed a good-looking woman wearing colourful clothing and a handsome man in a wheelchair. This is it, he thought. Aaron pushed the door open and walked inside. He held it open long enough for Jackson to wheel himself in.

The woman stood up and the wheelchair bound man turned himself round so that he could see who was coming in. "Aaron!," She made her way over to them. She smiled and put her arms out to embrace him. Aaron gave her the most awkward hug in the world, but that's just how he is. He called it the one-armed hug. "And this must be Jackson," Louisa stood beside Aaron and started staring at Jackson. "Sorry, I don't mean to stare. It's just so lovely to finally meet you. I've heard all about you. I'm Louisa Clark," She glanced in Wills direction. "And I'm Will Traynor," said the man sitting at the table she came from.


	2. Twenty One and Thirty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louisa and Aaron are having a great time. Jackson and Will are trying to work each other out.

Aaron was sitting beside Jackson and Louisa was sitting right next to Will. "Should we swap seats?," Aaron leaned over to say that to Louisa and laughed slightly while looking at the two men in their 'oversized prams'. "Oh yeah, that could be fun. You take Will and I take Jackson!," Lou replied. She laughed at the silliness of the conversation. It was good to laugh. Jackson and Will weren't laughing. Lou and Aaron noticed this and their facial expressions suddenly changed. "We're only messing," said Aaron.

"We're not trying to poke fun at you, my love," Louisa held Wills good hand and gave it a light squeeze. Will turned his head to look at her. She looked sympathetic enough, he supposed. "I know, Clark. I did find it funny I just couldn't find it in me to laugh out loud, you know?," He gave her a small smile and glanced down at his hand. He couldn't laugh about it because he was upset. Will was upset for Jackson. He felt frustrated that this 21-year-old man was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his days. Yes, okay, Will was in the same situation, but it was different. Will was 35. He had lived an incredible life before the accident. He had made a lot of money and seen the world. Jackson hadn't.

"I know you were only messing, mate. I'm fine, honest," Jackson grinned at Aaron. He was genuinely glad that Aaron had found a new friend. Will and Louisa were nice. For some reason, he admired Wills wheelchair. It was similar to his but it was a bit more high-tech and expensive.

All four of them chatted for hours. Jackson and Will spoke more in-depth about their accidents. Jackson learned that Will could move his fingers on one hand about a bit. Will couldn't believe Jackson survived a train crash. They both sighed when mobile phones were mentioned. "That thing almost killed me," said Jackson, sadly. "Me too, mate, me too," Will said sympathetically.

When it was time for them to leave, Jackson asked Aaron if he could stay for a while so he could keep chatting with Will. "Course you can. I'll come pick you up in a bit," Aaron gave Jackson a quick kiss on the lips and with that he was gone. Louisa and Will had basically the same conversation only their kiss lasted longer. Aaron didn't really like PDA. "Make sure he doesn't do his Christy Brown impression, Jackson," said Louisa leaving Jackson feeling confused and Will laughing his head off.

Jackson wheeled himself over to properly face Will. It was the first time they really examined each other. "Your what impression?," Jackson furrowed his brows at Will. "Christy Brown was a disabled Irish writer. I impersonate him every time I meet someone new and I did it to Clark on her first day. I'll never forget the look on her face," Will smiled as he spoke. He loved that memory.

"You didn't impersonate him today," Jackson sighed. Jackson felt strangely disappointed. "That's true. It's because I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable" Jackson understood what he meant. "Ah, I see. It's one of those jokes that only works if the other person is able-bodied," Will and Jackson nodded at each other.

"Can I ask you something?," Jackson moved closer to Will. Their wheels were basically touching now. "How do you do it?,".

........................................................................

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if the characters seem a bit OOC at the minute. I'm trying to get under their skin as best I can and I hope that will come across throughout each chapter. I also want my chapters to be shorter than your average fanfiction because I want to keep the audience interested. I love all sorts of feedback. Please let me know your thoughts on this story.


	3. Bricking it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson and Will have a serious conversation.

"Listen, Jackson, you seem like a nice guy but I really don't want to talk about this. Maybe someday but...not now, alright?," Will looked Jackson straight in the eye. He was deadly serious. "Fair enough," Jackson sighed. He really thought Will would provide him with deep and meaningful insight into the world of disability but...nope. "It's a shame really. You've got more experience being disabled than I have. I feel like you're hiding something from Louisa. You're unhappy, just like I am," Jackson watched Wills good hand. He was moving his fingers ever so slightly. He envied that. 

Jackson would give anything to be able to move his fingers. His body was doomed to be numb for all eternity. 

"Okay, I'll admit it. I haven't fully come to terms with my situation, but that's normal. I crave my old life every day, but I love Louisa. The accidents are still recent events so everything is still pretty raw and new. Adapting is key," Will's eyes flicked down to meet Jackson's.

He was staring at his good hand and watching his fingers as he moved them to emphasise every word that came out of his mouth. Jackson realised Will had stopped speaking and that his hand was no longer moving. He cleared his throat and killed the awkward silence. 

"Have you ever thought about becoming a motivational speaker?," The two men burst out laughing at the sarcasm of it all. They were both similar to one another personality wise which could have been disastrous but fortunately they got on like a house on fire. 

.......................................................................

Aaron was watching TV. Dale Head was a cosy little house but it resembled Hotten General a bit too much.

Jackson had his eyes closed, but he wasn't asleep. He thought about Will and the conversations they had. They had only met once, but he got the impression that they both understood each other on a deep, spiritual level. They had a connection. 

Jackson opened his eyes and looked at Aaron. He was sitting in the chair close to the bed but his eyes were fixed on the TV. His phone was sitting on his lap and the screen kept lighting up. 

"Someone's popular today," Jackson smiled as Aaron tore his eyes away from the TV. "Not at all, mate. Louisa and I have been texting each other back and forth. She says that Will really likes you," Aaron said all of this while scrolling through his texts. "Oh, does he now? Well, I'm glad to hear that. He's a bit cocky and up himself but yeah, I like him too. Are you jealous, Mr Livesy?," Jackson spoke in a different tone and grinned at Aaron. He was obviously joking, but Aaron's face was on the floor. 

Aaron let out a breathe he hadn't realised he was holding. "No mate, I'm actually relieved. I was bricking it," Aaron's face softened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you're liking the story so far. Thank you for the kudos❤️


	4. Soft touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Louisa open up to each other.

Jackson and Will were meeting up again for the second time. Aaron and Louisa arranged everything, obviously, and they decided that they wanted to come to the village.

"I've never been to Emmerdale before, have you?," Louisa snuggled up to Will. It was 9 o'clock at night and they both had a big day ahead of them tomorrow. Will wished he could feel her cuddling up to him, but it was just...impossible so he made sure to keep his eyes locked on Clark.

"No. Mum and dad have, though, and they said it was stunning. Apparently it's very scenic. To be fair, that was a long time ago," Will sighed and Lou glanced up at him.

"What's wrong, my love?," she rubbed his bicep and then internally groaned when she realised how redundant that action was. "Touch my face," Will whispered. Louisa did as he asked and rested her palm against his cheek. His face was quite hot and her hand was cool. The sensations were an exhilarating combination. Will smiled as Louisa ran her fingers over his cheek.

"That's what was wrong, darling. I'm desperate for your touch. All I want is the ability to touch my girlfriend and show her how much I love her in the physical sense," Louisa blushed. She knew exactly what Will meant and she longed for that too. "I know, love, and I wish we could...make love too but it's not needed as far as I'm concerned. You show me how much you love me every single day. I have never felt this way about anyone before. I spent all of those years with Patrick when I could have been with you. This is the best I've ever had," Louisa felt her eyes fill up with tears as she looked at Will.

He was grinning at her, but she could see that he was hiding his emotions very well. Will wanted to cry, but if he started he wasn't sure he would be able to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is quite short, but I wanted to explore Louisa and Will's relationship a bit more and I felt like the only way I could do that early on was to dedicate an entire short chapter to them. I hope you like it.


	5. Rise and shine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel can't contain her excitement.  
> Will and Louisa meet Chas Dingle.

"I said to myself, I said Hazel, I need to meet this Will fella and Louisa bird," Those were the first words Jackson heard that morning. His mother Hazel was talking to Aaron who was telling her to quieten down. "Keep your voice down, will ya? He's still sleeping," Aaron was always annoyed by Hazel's loudness. It was 8:00 am and she was her usual chipper self. Hazel opened the curtains to let the bright sun shine through. Suddenly, Jackson woke up. He squeezed his eyes together for a minute to prepare himself for the brightness of the morning.

"He's awake and not happy about it!," Jackson said groggily, his voice thick with sleep. "You can blame that on your mum, mate, she's the one who's loud and proud," Aaron walked over and gave Jackson a quick kiss on the forehead. "Sorry love. I'm excited, that's all. Your friends are coming in a few hours, and I can't wait to meet them. I feel like I know them already because of the way you two have banged on about Phil and Louis!," Hazel grinned and then walked into the kitchen.

"It's Louisa and Will!," Aaron and Jackson corrected Hazel in unison. The boyfriends looked each other dead in the eye and soon they erupted into hysterical laughter.

..........................................................................

Aaron joined the forum because he genuinely needed support. Jackson had been terribly depressed and Aaron felt like he couldn't really talk to anyone about it. Aaron had problems opening up at the best of times, but with Louisa it was easy. They were both completely different people, but that's what made it interesting. Aaron was always the sulky, brooding type of person, whereas Louisa was bubbly and outgoing. Their differences drew them together. Aaron would probably find Louisa annoying if he had met her before he met Hazel.

..........................................................................

The newfound friends were meeting up at the pub and then Aaron and Jackson were going to act like tour guides and escort Louisa and Will around the village afterwards. Louisa drove down Main Street and parked beside the pub. She found the village relatively easily considering it wasn't too far away from Will's house. Louisa helped Will out of the car, and they were both in awe.

"My god, this place is gorgeous!" Louisa exclaimed. Will nodded. "It truly is. I don't know why we haven't come here before. There's no excuse really, it's not exactly far away, is it?," Will looked up at Louisa and laughed at her facial expression. She looked flabbergasted.

"I can't get over the natural beauty of this place. Everywhere you look, there's beauty to be seen!," Louisa smiled and glanced behind her. "This must be the pub Aaron and Jackson love. They call it the Woolie, don't they? They say that so often you wouldn't realise its real name is The Woolpack. I can't wait to see how it looks inside," Lou said all of this while fumbling with her phone. "I'll ring Aaron. I think we're a bit early"

..........................................................................

Louisa walked to the bar. A brunette woman was behind it and she was walking towards her with a smile on her face.

"You must be Louisa. I'm Chas, Aaron's mum. It's nice to finally put a face to a name," Chas grinned at Louisa. "That must be Will," Chas looked behind Louisa to see a man sitting at a table not too far from the bar. Chas waved over and Will wheeled himself in her direction.

Chas introduced herself to Will. "It's lovely to meet you, Chas," Louisa and Will said this simultaneously, which got a laugh from Chas. "We're waiting for Aaron and Jackson. We were a bit early so Aaron said he would meet us here," Louisa explained.

Chas shook her head. "I don't understand our Aaron sometimes. He only lives down the road and he didn't even have the decency to invite you into his home?," Chas was still talking to Louisa and Will while serving other customers. The Woolpack was quiet, but I guess that's what you can expect in the middle of the countryside. Louisa wondered if it was always this quiet.

"Oh no, that's not a problem. We arranged to meet here and then tour the village afterwards," Louisa looked at Will, he was still smiling and nodding along. "Ah right, that's not too bad then I suppose," Chas shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, I keep babbling on. What am I like? What can I get you two,". Louisa ordered their drinks which was just two ordinary Cokes and then made her way over to a cosy corner table.

Will admired the paintings on the walls. "It's lovely in here, isn't it?," Louisa said, after taking a sip of Coke. Will sipped his through a straw. "Yes, very lovely. I like the paintings," He said this while gesturing towards the many paintings hanging on the walls of the pub. Louisa glanced at her phone. There was a text message from Aaron. It read:

"On r way. See ya in a minute. Aaron :)"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I had prewritten before writing this series, so updating this story will take a bit of time in the future. Not to worry though because I am dedicated to this fiction and I will write more chapters in the coming days and weeks. 
> 
> I had to introduce Hazel and Chas at some point and I thought this chapter would be the perfect time to do so. This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Thank you for the kudos. It helps me out a lot.


	6. Step right up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Louisa meet some of the villagers.

When Aaron and Jackson finally arrived at the pub, they were dumfounded. Some of the villagers were gathered around a corner table, talking loudly and laughing the day away. Aaron suddenly realised why. Louisa and Will had made themselves right at home. 

Marlon and Paddy were acting like they always do. Paddy was being awkward, he kept stuttering in that endearing way of his and Marlon was being...well, Marlon was being Marlon! Marlon started flailing his arms about like he always does. Louis and Will were grinning and nodding. I bet they've done a lot of that today, Aaron thought. Chas was standing behind the bar, but she was involved in the conversation. Cain was there too. He introduced himself Will and Louisa and he was actually polite. That creeped Aaron out. Cain's never polite. Pearl pulled up a pew and sat right next to Louisa. Cain and Chas made themselves scarce when they spotted the boys. Aaron and Jackson were next to step right up. 

"Alright," Aaron walked towards the group of people sitting at the table. He had his hands in his pockets and walked with his usual swagger. He was kitted out in his usual tracksuit tucked into the socks combo. His hair was still basically nonexistent. Jackson followed closely behind Aaron, he had to be more careful though in case he accidentally bumped into someone or something. Aaron raised his eyebrows. "I see you've met the locals then."

Louisa turned herself round to face Aaron. She had her hair tied up into two space buns and she was wearing a big wooly jumper. Lou barely wore jeans so today she decided to wear her skirt with the butterflies on it combined with her yellow tights. She wore plain black boots with a slight heel on them. Her shoes were the only plain thing about her outfit. 

"We have indeed. You two took your time. Will and I thought we had been stood up," Aaron sat on Pearl's seat. She had got up to go to the ladies. On your feet, lose your seat. Jackson parked himself up to Aaron's left. "Sorry about that. You seem to have made some new friends in our absence," Aaron looked at Paddy and Marlon. They were avoiding looking him in the eye for some reason. Aaron assumed they had put their foot in it. 

"So Jackson, how have you been?," Will finally spoke up. He looked at the other wheelchair bound man. Jackson wore a plaid shirt and jeans. Will admired his casual attire because it was different from his. Will wore formal looking shirts and blazers with nicely fitted trousers and pristine shoes. "Never better Will, never better," Will could sense the sarcasm in Jackson's tone. He could also sense the pain. Will made his way out from the confines of being sat in the corner. Paddy and Marlon jumped up to allow him to pass. Aaron and Louisa kept their eyes locked on him. 

He was finally face to face with Jackson. No more attempting to converse on a table. "Do you want to go outside and talk about it," Will had a concerned look on his face. This young man needs to lean on someone, he thought to himself. Jackson's head was leaned over as far as it could go. The straps keeping him in place looked like they would be unable to support him if he kept toppling over. It looked as if he had broken his neck all over again. 

A barely there "yeah," was all Will got in response to his question. Will looked at Louisa and she got the message. He needed to speak to Jackson privately and urgently.

…….............................................................................

The two men sat outside the pub. The sun was shining and they loved the feeling of it on their skin, purely because they could feel something for a change instead of the constant numbness they both despised. "I feel so alone," Jackson murmured. "No one understands, apart from you. I try to convince my mum and Aaron that I'm fine and dandy, but I don't think I can do it anymore," Jackson's voice started to break and Will realised he was crying. Will moved closer to him. 

"Sshh, there there. I know how you feel, kiddo. I go to that place all the time. Sometimes darkness consumes me, but you've taken the first step. You need to talk to your mum and Aaron. Then, you need to see a doctor. I know I'm coming across as a bit cold, but you're different. You have a lot to live for. I can see the pain in your eyes, but I know you want to beat it. You're so young," Will comforted Jackson with the tone of his voice. 

He wished he could give him a hug and tell him that everything will be alright. Jackson was just about to thank Will for his words of encouragement when suddenly, a familiar voice broke his train of thought. 

"Alright son, have you been behaving yourself? Oh my goodness, is this Will?," Hazel Rhodes had been on her way to the pub when she spotted Jackson sitting outside. "Yes mum, this is my mate Will," Jackson felt like a child. Hazel couldn't stop smiling. "It's lovely to meet you, Will," Hazel instinctively put her hand out to shake Wills, but then quickly retracted it. "Sorry about that, Will. I have a habit of forgetting myself," She smiled awkwardly at Will while Jackson stared at her in annoyance. "It's lovely to meet you too, Hazel," Will wiggled his fingers at Hazel. She gasped in shock. Will and Jackson couldn't stop laughing. 

..................................................................................

Will and Louisa had been in Emmerdale for three hours. Time passed very quickly in this little village. Will really liked it here. Louisa imagined her and Will living in this picturesque part of the Dales. The locals were welcoming and most of them were quite quirky which Louisa loved. Will couldn't believe how much he had in common with Hazel. They both spoke about their travels to one another, but Will always kept one eye on Jackson. Aaron and Louisa were enjoying each others company. They may not have a lot in common, but they still made sure the conversation was never dull. 

"Do you and Will want to tour the village now?," Aaron asked, glancing at the clock. It was later than he realised. "I think we'll leave it for today, Aaron. Maybe next time?," Aaron sighed with relief. Today had been an enjoyable day, but it had also been long and tiring. He was glad there was going to be a next time though. 

"Next time? If you had any sense you would leave this place and never come back or you might not make it out alive," Aaron's facial expression suddenly turned serious. Louisa furrowed her brows in confusion. "I'm only messing," Aaron's serious face turned into a grinning one. Louisa hit him on the shoulder. "You had me going for a minute there! I thought this place reminded me of something and now I know what it is. It's the Village of the Damned!,". 

"You've got that right," Jackson mumbled sadly under his breath. Will was the only one that heard him. Will was always the only one that could hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write. I hope you enjoy it. Don't be afraid to comment on this story. Thank you for all the kudos.


	7. Tonight's the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson makes a big decision and Will makes a declaration.

"I'm glad I've got you both here because I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Jackson was sitting in his chair. He was casually dressed because it was evening time and he wasn't planning on going anywhere. Tonight was the night, he thought to himself. He had phoned Aaron earlier and told him to meet after work. He spoke to his mum that afternoon, she wanted to know the problem then and there, but he told her that Aaron needed to be there too.

Aaron was sitting on Jackson's bed, Hazel was standing close to the kitchen. Aaron looked confused for a second, but then he remembered the phone call from earlier. He turned the TV off and faced his boyfriend. Hazel finally made her way into the living room. Jackson was sat in the middle of the room and all eyes were on him. Silence fell upon the room for once.

"Yesterday, when Will and I went outside for a breather, I spoke to him about something. I opened up about the loneliness and depression I've gone through since the accident and I've made a decision," Jackson rushed his way through his explanation because he was anxious. Hazel and Aaron both gulped as he spoke. Jackson took a deep breath and continued.

"I think I should go and see a doctor. I know I said I didn't want to go to counseling, but I do now. I'm finally ready to talk to a professional. I want to live. I may be disabled, but that doesn't mean I can't live my life the way I want to. It won't be easy, but I need your support. You two mean the world to me," Jackson felt like the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. For so long he had wanted to end it all, but since he met Will everything changed in ways he could never have imagined.

Aaron and Hazel beamed at Jackson. They both stood at each side of his chair. "Son, I'm in shock. Wow, my gorgeous boy is even more of a fighter than I realised!," Hazel planted a kiss on Jackson's forehead. "We will be with you every step of the way," Aaron joined in with the forehead kissing. Aaron felt his eyes fill up with tears, but he quickly dismissed it.

Jackson smiled at the two people he loved the most. Jackson did love Jerry, his dad, in his own way but he was always closer to his mum. They were always having a laugh together and for some reason, that made Jerry feel paranoid. He thought they were laughing at him, but they weren't. As Jackson thought about the good times, the bad times starting to slip into his mind. When teenage Jackson came out to his father, he punched him. Jerry Walsh punched his son for being gay. Jackson shook his head to remove the painful memories of his past.

"Here's to the good times."

...............……..............................................................

Speaking to a psychiatrist was tough. Jackson knew it would be, but what made it even more tough was that he finally realised how similar him and Aaron are. He realised that he had bottled everything up for months, including simple, silly little things. He judged Aaron for doing this, but now the judgement was gone. In its place stood empathy. Jackson had been empathetic towards Aaron during his coming out, but he never thought he would relate to him on the self loathing part.

Will had recommended Dr Mott to Jackson. She seemed nice and understanding enough, but she kept her eyes locked on her notepad quite a bit. Jackson supposed it was necessary. This was his first session after all and she needed as much information as possible. Jackson told her all about Will and the fact that since the accident, he has struggled with adjusting to his "new" lifestyle.  He made sure the doctor knew he wasn't totally alone. He thought it was important that she knew he could talk to another person with a disability about certain things and Dr Mott agreed.

"Will sounds very supportive. I'm very happy to hear that you have someone else you can open up to who isn't in your close circle," smiled Dr Mott. "You're very brave, Mr Walsh. You made a very mature decision by coming in to see me," Dr Mott made more notes. "Jackson. Please just call me Jackson,". Mr Walsh sounded too formal and he needed to feel relaxed around the doctor. After all, it was a new beginning.  
..................................................................................

Will and Louisa were busy spending time with their families. Most of the time they were joined at the hip, but everyone needs breathing space sometimes. Will hadn't spoken to Jackson recently, but Louisa sent Aaron text messages every few days. Will was having lunch with his mum, dad and sister when he decided he needed to excuse himself. When he made his way to his room, he let out a huge sigh. His family tended to exhaust him these days.

"Call Jackson," He commanded his phone and it instantly started ringing. Will needed to know how Jackson's counseling sessions were going. Jackson answered on the third ring. Will thought it was impressive. "Alright Will. You okay, mate? I was planning on ringing you some time today funnily enough so you beat me to it! We must have some sort of quadriplegic telepathy going on," Will smiled at Jackson's words. He was always very sarcastic and loved dark humour just like Will. "Yes, that must be the case. I'm great, I hope you're okay. Anyway, I wanted to ask you about the counseling. Has it been going well?," Will was nervous as he waited for Jackson's response.

"Yeah, it's been better than I expected to be honest. I'm feeling a lot better about myself these days. Talking about things to a stranger is comforting in a way. Thank you," Jackson was glad Will wanted to know. "Why are you thanking me?," Will was curious now.

"I'm thanking you for asking about it and because you were the one who told me about Dr Mott. I'll always be grateful for your help, Will. You'll never know how much I appreciate you," Jackson was getting emotional now, but he knew he had to keep it together. Will felt his eyes fill with tears and suddenly he had to clear his throat because the silence was deafening.

"You're very welcome, Jackson. I'm just glad I was the one that could help you and that you appreciate it. We haven't known each other long, but I've known you for years. That's probably down to how similar we are as people. I suppose you could say we're kindred spirits. You're the very best friend I've ever had," Will was slightly embarrassed by his big declaration, but he knew Jackson would understand.

Jackson was stunned. He didn't know what to say at first but he couldn't stop the huge grin that was slowly spreading across his face. "I couldn't have said it any better myself, William Traynor. You and I are mates for life now, you hear me? Kindred spirits, paralyzed pals, whatever you want to call us. You're stuck with me," Jackson laughed as he spoke.

Will sighed with relief. 'Thank God he didn't take that the wrong way,' he thought to himself. Jackson had a lot of joy in his voice and Will loved hearing it. The conversation came to an end a few minutes later. The two men said their goodbyes and Will made his way out of his room. Louise was standing outside. "How long have you been standing there?," Will quizzed her. His cheeks suddenly felt red with embarrassment. Louisa leaned against the door frame. She had her arms folded, but she was grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Long enough," was all she said before she winked and made her way into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story recently. I've been suffering from writer's block and I had most of this chapter written, but I couldn't work out how to end it. I hope you're still enjoying the story. There's plenty more to come, so please let me know how you feel about it. Thank you.


End file.
